Cutlery sharpener



.Aug. 21, 1951 J. F. BOSQUET 2,565,196

' CUTLERY" SHARPENEP.

INVENTOR Jo/1n [190501625 0%, wq m ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 21, 1951UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUTLERY SHARPEiNER John F. Bosquet, NewYork, N. Y.

Application November 3, 1947, Serial No, 783,783

6 Claims.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a cutlery sharpenerthat is compact and sturdy, comprising relatively few parts that areinexpensive and simple to manufacture and that are easy to assemble,that may conveniently be mounted for use, that is simple to operate andmay readily be cleaned and the parts thereof changed when worn, and thatby a relatively simple adjustment may be used to sharpen different typesof cutlery with cutting edges having varied angles.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by thearrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described andparticularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of variouspossible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the device, 7

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a dropped perspective view, showing the components of saidembodiment,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of another embodiment of the device,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a detail view on a larger scale of the blade holder of theembodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5,

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the sharpening member utilized in theembodiment shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, and

Fig. 8 is a detail view of an alternative type of sharpening memberwhich may be utilized with the device shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Referring now to the drawings, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3,the device comprises a base ll having a pair of spaced, parallelupstanding side wall members l2 and I3 mounted thereon and preferablyunitary therewith and a rear wall I4 also upstanding from said base Iiand preferably unitary therewith. Rear wall M is positioned between theside walls l2 and I3 at right angles thereto, and spaced therefrom toform slots I5 and I6 which, together with the inner faces I1 and 18respectively of the side walls, form guides for a knife, scissors orother piece of cutlery in the manner hereinafter described.

The inner faces I! and [8 of the side walls [2 and I3 and the inner faceIQ of the rear wall [4 have depressions 20 therein defining acylindrical surface, the three walls and the base I I forming a socket,in the center of the base of which, afiixed in an opening 2| as by forcefit is an up:

standing stud 22 threaded at its upper end 23.

Rotatably mounted on said stud 22 is a blade holder 24 preferablycylindrical in shape and having a reduced threaded portion 29 at itsupper end defining a shoulder 29.

The holder 24 has a plurality of pairs of diametrically opposed slots 30therein, illustratively three in number, extending from shoulder 29 tonearly the bottom of the holder and from the periphery of the holderradially inward, to define a hub 25, the latter having a bore 26therethrough which extends through reduced portion 2a.

Mounted on said holder in each of said slots 3% and radiating therefromis a sharpening blade 32 comprising a substantially rectangular blankhaving a portion of one side cut away so that the blade slopes outwardlyfrom the fiat top 33 thereof to the bottom thereof to form a convexcutting edge 34.

The base 35 of each of the blades has a notch 36 therein which forms apair of legs 3? and 38. Leg 3'! fits into a keying depression 3: in eachof the slots 36 in said holder adjacent said hub 25 and leg 38 overlapthe bottom rim 39 of said holder.

To retain the holder 24 on stud 22, a coil spring 43 is provided whichencompasses the stud 22 and is seated on a shoulder 28 formed by areduced portion 21 at the lower end of bore 26.

A spring tensioner comprising an internally threaded bushing 44 isthreaded on stud 22, the coil spring thus being compressed betweenshoulder 28 and the bottom rim 45 of the bushing, resiliently to retainthe holder 24 against the base ll. 1

To complete the assembly of the device, an acorn nut 48 is providedwhich is threaded on the reduced portion 29 of the holder. The rim 4| ofthe nut presses down on the flat tops 33 of the blades, thereby keyinglegs 31 in depressions 3| securely to hold the blades in the holder andradiating laterally therefrom in the form of a spider.

The convex cutting edge 34 of the blade extends beyond the periphery ofthe holder and a stop 50 is provided on base i I, preferably integraltherewith in the path of adjusting movement of such blade to restrictthe rotation of the holder when the device is in use.

In order that the device may be used for different types of cutlerywhich may have different angled cutting edges, the blades in each of thethree pairs of diametrically opposed slots 30 are identical and eachpair of blades desirably has a different slope on its convex cuttingedge. Thus the angle of sharpening will depend upon which pair of bladesis chosen, as will be hereinafter described.

To use the device, which may be afiixed to a table or a ledge in anyconvenient location by means of suitable screws 46 passing through theopenings 4'! in the base I I, a pair of diametrically opposed blades,illustratively blades 48 and 49, having the desired slope of cuttingedge is chosen.

By grasping nut 40 which serves as a handle, the holder with the bladestherein may be lifted on stud 22 against the tension of coil spring 43until the bases 35 of the blades are able to pass over upstanding stop50. The holder is then rotated by means of its handle until a blade fromeach of the remaining two pairs of blades, illustratively blades and 52,straddles the stop 50 and the chosen blades 48 and 49 are in closejuxtaposition to sides I2 and I3, as shown in Fig. 1,.

the arcuate depressions. in the side walls I2 and I3 and rear wall I4providing clearance for the radially extending blades 32. The handle isthen released and the holder will automatically snap into place againstthe base.

To sharpen the piece of cutlery, illustratively a knife 53, it is placedin slot I4 so that one face of the knife is against the inner surface I!of side wall I2 and the cutting edge of the knife rests on the convexcutting edge 34 of the sharpening blade 48. Downward pressure is broughtto bear on the knife and at the same time it is pulled through slot I5away from rear wall I4. The

frictional engagement of the knife with the sharpening blade 48 willcause the holder to rotate slightly about stud 22 until one of theblades, illustratively blade 52, abuts against stop 50. In thisposition, only the corner 54 of blade 48 will contact the cutting edgeof the knife to sharpen the right face thereof. To sharpen the left faceof the knife, the procedure above set forth is followed with respect toslot I6. As the knife is drawn through slot I6 on the right side of thedevice, the holder 24 will rotate by reason of the frictional engagementof the knife with sharpening blade 49 until blade 5| abuts against stop50. In this position, the corner 55 of blade 49 will contact the cuttingedge of the knife on the left face thereof to perform the sharpeningaction thereon.

Rotatably mounted on said base is a blade holder or pin 7| threaded atits upper end as at I2 and also bifurcated thereat as at I3. The lowerend of the pin has a reduced portion 14 forming a shoulder I5 seated onthe rim of an opening 69 in the base. The end of reduced portion I4whichextends into a cavity F0 in the underside of the base has athreaded stem I6 forming a shoulder 11. By means of a nut 80 threaded onstem it against shoulder H, the holder II will be securely held on thebase, yet free to pivot thereon to the right and to the left.

Mounted in said holder is a substantially U- shaped member SI comprisinga pair of diametrically opposed substantially rectangular sharpeningblades 82 and 83 joined by a cross piece 8 which fits into saidbifurcated end 73. As shown in Fig. 7, a portion ofeach side of theblades is cut away and curved so that the blades slope outwardly fromthe flat tops 99 and 95 thereof to the bottom thereof to form convexcutting edges 92 and 93. I p,

By means of a cap 85 threaded on the upper end #2 of holder H, theU-shaped member is securely held therein, the cross piece 85 beingclamped between the lower rim 8% of the cap and the bottom 87 of thebifurcation of holder 'iI.

To use the device which may be mounted in any convenient place by meansof suitable screws 88 passing through the opening 89 in the base, thecutlery, illustratively a knife 94 as shown, is inserted in thetransversely aligned slots 66 with the cutting edge of the knife againstthe sharpening blade 82, and the left face of the knife blade againstthe ends of side sections E4. Pressure is brought down on the knifewhile at the same time it is pulled through the slots 56 away from wallEN. The frictional contact of the knife with the blade 32 will cause theholder H to pivot until blade 82 abuts against the inner side 9! ofcenter section 63. In this position, as shown in Fig. 4,

only the corner 92 of blade 82 will contact the face If it is desired tosharpen a knife or other piece of cutlery with a different angledcutting edge, the holder need only be rotated in the manner heretoforedescribed until the pair of sharpening blades having the desired slopeof cutting edges are in position.

It is of course apparent that all the blades in the holder could beidentical and, as they became worn out after repeated use thereof, bymerely rotating the holder, a fresh blade could be presented to thecutlery being sharpened.

In Figs. l to 8, another embodiment of the device is shown in which onlyone pair of sharpening blades is provided.

The device comprises a substantially rectangular base 66 having a pairof spaced parallel upstanding walls El and 62, preferably unitary withthe base and extending longitudinally thereof.

Each wall has a pair of slots 66 and 61 therein defining a centersection 63 between said slots and side sections 64 and 65 on each sideof said slots. The slots 66 and 6! in walls GI and B2 are respectivelytransversely'aligned to act as a guide for the knife or other piece ofcutlery as ity is sharpened.

To facilitate the insertion of such cutlery in the guide slots, the edgeof each of the side sections 64 and 65 adjacent to the center section63, is beveled slightly as at 68.

of the knife to be sharpened, thereby providing efficient sharpeningaction.

To sharpen the other face of the knife, it is removed from transverseslots 6%: and drawn through transverse slots 6! in the mannerhereinabove described. The holder ll will pivot in like manner in theopposite direction until blade 83 abuts against the inner surfaces 9| ofcenter section E3, and the other face of the knife will be sharpened bycorner 94 of blade 83.

If it is desired to sharpen cutlery which has a relatively flat edge, asfor example, a pair of scissors, a substantially U-shaped member 95 suchas shown in Fig. 8 would be used. Member 95 has a pair of diametricallyopposed blades 95 and 9! joined by a cross piece 98 preferably integraltherewith. The cutting edges of blades 95 and 91 slope downwardly as at953 and each cutting edge has a beveled face I86 extending laterallyoutward from the face of the blade so that the sharp edge if)! of theblade will perform the sharpening action on the piece of cutlery.

To replace one sharpening member with another sharpening member, it ismerely necessary to unscrew cap 85, remove the sharpening member in theholder and insert the desired sharpening member therein in the mannerheretofore described.

By drawing the cutlery through the slots on one side of either of theembodiments herein, it will be hollow ground and by drawing it throughthe slots on the other side of the device, the reverse side of thecutlery will be sharpened in like manner, the two sides thereupon matingto form a keen sharp edge. It is desirable to draw the cutlery firstthrough one side of the sharpener and then through the other side,alternating sides until the cutlery is properly sharpened. By thisprocedure, both sides of the cutlery will be equally sharpened.

Inasmuch as during the sharpening operation, the particles ground fromthe edge of the knife or scissors fall away and leave such edge and thesharpening blade clear and clean instead of clogging up the point ofcontact therebetween, there is no interference with the sharpeningoperation. However, in both of the embodiments herein, in order thatthose particles which fall to the respective bases H and 6% do notprevent rotation or pivoting of the holders 24 and H respectively byjamming beneath the base of the sharpening blades, the bottoms of thelatter are slightly spaced from the respective bases H and 00 as at I02and I03.

By the construction herein described, a sharpener is provided which maybe used to sharpen the edge of substantially any type of cutlery withoutreplacing the entire unit but merely by changing the blades therein in aquick relatively simple manner.

Inasmuch as the device requires no special skill or training in orderthat it be operated properly, it may safely be used by the housewifewithout danger of damage to the cutlery or to herself.

The device herein described may readily be cleaned by merely removingthe blade holders and brushing the accumulated particles off the base,and as there are no inaccessible cracks or crevices in which suchparticles can collect, the efiiciency of the sharpeners is maintained atall times.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A sharpening device for cutlery, said device comprising a base, apair of spaced, parallel, upstanding side walls mounted on said base andrigid therewith, a holder pivotally mounted on said base between saidside walls and movable vertically on said base, means resilientlyretaining the holder on the base, a plurality of diametrically opposedpairs of sharpening blades mounted on. said holder, a stop on saiddevice in the path of rotation of said blades to limit the pivotalmovement of s id holder, thereby properly positioning the cutting edgesof said blades, said side Walls having guide faces to guide an articleof cutlery against said sharpening blades when the device is in use.

2. A sharpening device for cutlery, said device comprising a base, anupright stud aiiixed to said base, a holder rotatably mounted on saidstud and movable vertically thereon, means resiliently retaining saidholder against said base, a plurality of diametrically opposed pairs ofsharpening blades, removably mounted in radiating slots in said holder,a stop on said device in the path of rotation of said blades to limitthe pivotal movement of said blades, thereby properly positioning thecutting edges of said blades, and

means on said base to guide an article of cutlery against saidsharpening blades.

3. A sharpening device for cutlery, said device comprising a base, anupright stud affixed to said base, a holder having a bore therethrough,rotatably mounted on said stud, said bore having a reduced portionforming a shoulder, a coil spring in said bore encompassing said studand seated on said shoulder, means to retain said coil spring in saidbore resiliently to urge said holder against said base, a plurality ofdiametrically opposed sharpening blades removably mounted in radiatingslots in said holder, means to retain said sharpening blades in saidslots, a stop on said device in the path of movement of said blades tolimit the pivotal movement of said holder, thereby properly positioningthe cutting edges of said blades, and means on said base to guide anarticle of cutlery against said sharpening blades.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said holder has athreaded portion extending beyond the top thereof, and a nut coacts withsaid threaded portion to press down on said blades in said slots,securely to retain them in said holder.

5. A sharpening device for cutlery, said device comprising a base, anupright stud afiixed to said base, a holder having a bore therethrough,rotatably mounted on said stud, said bore having a reduced portionforming a shoulder, a coil spring in said bore resiliently urging saidholder against said base, said coil spring encompassing said stud andseated on said shoulder, means to retain said coil spring in said bore,a plurality of vertical, diametrically opposed radiating slots in saidholder extending from the top thereof to nearly the bottom thereof, adepression in the bottom of each of said slots adjacent said hub forminga rim at the periphery of the holder, a sharpening blade in each of saidslots, said blades each having a notch in the base thereof forming apair of legs, the first of said legs being seated in said depression,and the second of said legs overlapping said rim, a threaded reductionportion extending beyond the top of said holder, a nut coacting withsaid threaded portion to press down on said blades to retain said firstleg in said depression and said second leg overlapping said rim, therebysecurely to retain said blades in said holder, a stop on said device inthe path of movement of said blades to limit the pivotal movement ofsaid blades, thereby properly positioning the cutting edges of saidblades, and means on said base to guide an article of cutlery againstsaid sharpening blades.

6. As an article of manufacture, a sharpening spider comprising a holderand a plurality of diametrically opposed sharpening blades mounted inradiating slots in the periphery of said holder.

JOHN F. BOSQUET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 381,327 Brown 1 Apr. 17, 1888450,215 Bradford Apr. 14, 1891 612,912 Poindexter Oct. 25, 1898 665,895Foster Jan. 15, 1901 892,667 Jauch July '7, 1908 1,075,110 KlusewitzOct. 7, 1913

